Book details
Elizabeth C. Bunce - Author
This is a richly situated fairy-tale retelling centred on Charlotte’s determined efforts to keep the mill. It combines family relationships, village lore and a supernatural mystery.
Book Analysis
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Sign in for personalised guidanceHow the book presents it: The story gives Charlotte agency rather than leaving her only as a figure acted upon by the curse.
Talk about: What choices does Charlotte make when the mill’s future is threatened?
How the book presents it: The detailed prose and slow pacing make atmosphere and setting a substantial part of the reading experience.
Talk about: Does the detailed setting help you picture the mill and village as the mystery develops?
Charlotte is given agency, while her feelings about the alleged curse and her changing relationship with Rosie give the family story room to shift.
The story includes creepy supernatural moments, a ghostly figure and the danger of Charlotte’s infant son being nearly lost. It also begins with her father’s death.
How do Charlotte and Rosie respond differently to the mill’s troubles, and does their relationship change the way they face them?
Consider reading it in manageable stretches, allowing time to follow the mill’s history and the unfolding mystery.
Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.
Limited information
Checked: 2 October 2026.
Relevant to: Charlotte’s agency; Theme in context
Benefits, discussion questions and reading approaches are suggestions. Your knowledge of your child remains part of the decision.
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